


In the Moonlight

by RogueWolf



Category: RWBY
Genre: Alternate Universe, Angst, Angst and Feels, Crying, Depression, Gen, Grief, Light Comfort, Young Ruby, Young Yang
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-06-27
Updated: 2016-06-27
Packaged: 2018-07-18 12:28:30
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,256
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7315252
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/RogueWolf/pseuds/RogueWolf
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>
  <em>There were no lights shining underneath Tai’s door. Qrow hesitated, then knocked. There was no answer, and Qrow knocked again before slowly pushing the door open.</em>
</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>  <em>Tai hadn’t closed the curtains, and in the pale moonlight Qrow could see Tai sitting on the bed, knees drawn up to his chin, his arms wrapped tightly around himself. Qrow felt his stomach turn over. Tai hadn’t had a bad day in a long time, who knew how long he’d been sitting like this.</em></p>
            </blockquote>





	In the Moonlight

**Author's Note:**

> Please read the tags and take care of yourself.

“Dad! We’re home!” Yang and Ruby burst through the door, laughing as they tried to race past each other. “Uncle Qrow got us ice-cream!”

Qrow shut the door behind them and locked it before turning to watch as the two girls kicked off their shoes. He probably shouldn’t have let them get three scoops – Ruby had been _wired_ – but they were good kids and it’d been awhile since they’d gone out.

“Dad!”

“He’s probably sleeping,” Qrow cut in gently. “He has to be up early for work, remember?”

Yang immediately bit her lower lip, shoulders slumping. “I forgot…” she muttered.

“Hey, don’t worry about it.” Qrow placed a hand on her shoulder and squeezed it comfortingly. “He’ll be fine.”

“You think so?” Yang stared up at him, her eyes wide and hopeful. Beside her, Ruby stared at Qrow as well and snuck her hand into Yang’s.

“Yeah,” Qrow said, trying not to smile when he saw Yang hold Ruby’s hand tightly. “Why don’t you and Ruby get ready for bed, ok? And I’ll check on your dad.”

“You said you’d tell us a bedtime story,” Ruby protested.

Qrow ruffled her hair and smiled. “You got me there, kiddo. Ok, why don’t you help me pick out a story and I’ll check on your dad afterwards?”

Ruby grinned and tackled Qrow in a hug. “Yay!”

* * *

Twenty minutes later Qrow flicked off the bedroom light and gently closed the girls’ door. He was surprised they hadn’t crashed sooner, especially Ruby, but at least now they were fast asleep. It had taken three stories for it to happen, but Qrow didn’t mind. He liked reading bedtime stories; he could understand why Ruby and Yang enjoyed them.

He frowned as he started down the hallway. He’d stayed to make sure they were actually sleeping, because Tai should have been awake. They’d gotten back home barely a quarter after eight; Tai didn’t go to sleep until 9:30 and his Jeep was still in the driveway.

There were no lights shining underneath Tai’s door. Qrow hesitated, then knocked. There was no answer, and Qrow knocked again before slowly pushing the door open.

Tai hadn’t closed the curtains, and in the pale moonlight Qrow could see Tai sitting on the bed, knees drawn up to his chin, his arms wrapped tightly around himself. Qrow felt his stomach turn over. Tai hadn’t had a bad day in a long time; who knew how long he’d been sitting like this.

Qrow walked slowly towards him, careful not to make any quick movements. Qrow had learned the hard way that Tai didn’t respond well to that.

As he drew closer he could see the way Tai was looking straight ahead, gaze blank and unfocused. There were tear tracks running down his face and, as Qrow watched, more tears fell to roll down Tai’s cheeks and disappear under his chin. The entire time Tai just sat there, silent, unblinking, and unmoving.

“Tai?” Qrow said softly. He slid onto the bed, keeping his movements slow and calm. “It’s Qrow, Tai. I’m here.” There was no response – though Qrow wasn’t expecting one – and Qrow slowly pushed himself across the bed until he was next to Tai. “Tai, can you hear me?”

Tai’s fingers twitched but he didn’t say anything. Qrow tried not to sag into the bed and kept his tone even. “I’m going to put my arm around you, ok?” Again, there was no response but, as Qrow carefully slung his arm across Tai’s shoulders, he felt Tai shiver and curl deeper in on himself. Qrow was thankful that the girls were asleep; they didn’t need to see their dad like this. Not again.

“Hey,” he whispered, and slowly rested his head against Tai’s shoulder, “I’ve got you.”

Tai didn’t say anything, didn’t move, but Qrow didn’t push. He settled himself against Tai and fell silent, content to listen to their breathing and focus on nothing.

He didn’t know how long they’d been sitting there – he knew he’d been there long enough that his arm had started to ache – when Tai drew a deep, shuddering breath. Qrow kept silent and let Tai bring himself back.

“Qrow?” Tai’s voice was a cracked whisper. He turned his head and peered at Qrow. “You’re here.”

“Yeah,” Qrow told him, “I’m here.”

Tai stared at him, his gaze faraway, and then his eyes suddenly filled with tears. “It hurts,” he choked out, and then bowed his head, sucking in a deep breath as though he’d just burnt himself. “Everything…hurts.” One of his hands clutched at his chest and he pressed his forehead hard against his knees. “It’s so cold, Qrow.”

“I know,” Qrow whispered, “I know.” He rubbed circles onto Tai’s back and pressed himself as close to Tai as he could. “I know.”

Tai didn’t say anything else; he was breathing shallowly, but every now and then he’d take a deep breath. He had to raise his head to do so, and Qrow could see the wetness on Tai’s cheeks, shining in the moonlight.

Qrow had started to zone out, his hand moving automatically now to rub Tai’s back, when Tai straightened suddenly, wiping his cheeks with one hand and swinging away from Qrow so that his feet were hanging off the bed.

“Tai?” Qrow asked hesitantly.

“I’m fine,” Tai said without looking at Qrow. He pushed himself off the bed and went to the windows and dragged the curtains shut. “It’s late,” he told Qrow, “you should probably get some rest.”

Qrow narrowed his eyes and slid off the bed. “Tai-” he began, but Tai cut through the air with one hand, silencing Qrow.

“I’m fine,” he said again, and this time he turned to smile at Qrow. He looked like himself, but Qrow could see the slight puffiness around his eyes, the way his nose was redder than normal. “Really, I’m fine.”

“I don’t believe that,” Qrow told him. “And I don’t think you do either.”

Tai’s smile wavered for a second, drooping until it looked more like an uncertain grimace, but Tai shook his head and smiled harder. “I’ve been better,” he said bluntly, “but trust me, Qrow, I’m fine.”

Qrow studied Tai’s face and tried not to let his shoulders slump. He knew that look all too well. Tai wasn’t going to let anybody in the rest of the night. “You need to sleep,” he told Tai, and rubbed a hand through his hair.

“Sure,” Tai said with a nod, and Qrow knew that Tai wouldn’t be sleeping tonight. He started walking towards his bedroom door. “So should you. Didn’t you say you were going fishing with James tomorrow morning?”

“Yeah,” Qrow said, surprised that Tai had remembered. “But I can move it, especially if you’re-”

“No!” Tai said sharply, then, “no, that’s ok. Everything will be fine. But look, it’s late, you should-”

“Yeah,” Qrow sighed, “go to bed, I know.” He stepped through the door and then looked back at Tai over his shoulder. “Are you sure you don’t need anything?”

For a second he didn’t think Tai was going to answer, but then Tai’s smile cracked and he gave Qrow a weary, crooked grin. “You’ve already helped plenty, Qrow.” He took a deep breath. “The rest is up to me.” He nodded at Qrow and started to shut the door. “Good night, Qrow, and…thank you.”

“It was no problem,” Qrow told the closed door. He stared at it for a long moment and then turned to trudge towards his own bedroom.

**Author's Note:**

> [You can find me on tumblr here](http://roguewolfprints.tumblr.com)


End file.
